Islamic Custom of Letter and Seal in Sarakata Manuscript “Surat-Surat dari Aceh”

Abstract

This paper presents research on sarakata manuscript from the collection of the National Library of the Republic of Indonesia. The Sarakata analyzed in this research is entitled “Surat-Surat dari Aceh” with the code ML 447. This sarakata was written in the 19th century using Jawi script. This sarakata consists of nine letters, but in this study only four sarakatas are analysed, namely sarakata 3, 5, 6, and 7. We chose those sarakatas because it contains historical, economic, political, social, and Islamic law aspects. The method used when transliterating is a critical edition. The structure of the text is examined using ‘guidance of correspondence’ in Kitab Tarasul. When compared with that, the SSA sarakata has only five elements, but it has an element that is not contained in Kitab Tarasul, namely the pledge. The different correspondence formats occured because Aceh has its own Islamic-proprietary-custom. The seal in sarakata (sikureueng seal) is examined using sigillography. Based on a that study, sikureueng seal is ‘the seal used by the Aceh sultans in the establishment of important royal letters containing the name of the ruling sultan’. This seal can consist of nine circles or one circle. The different design and decoration of the seal depict the arts and specific objectives of each king. This usage is examined using the semiosis process by Pierce. The results show that the sikureueng seal is adorned with natural and geometric forms that have their own meanings, such as hope of growth, peace, welfare, life, and longevity.